NY Giants suspend burres one game for missing workout

Athletes claim that they’re “not role models”, but this week Plaxico Burress unwittingly provided a valuable lesson to the youth of America: if you’re going to miss work, make a phone call to your supervisor. This would be obvious to any employee of 7-11 or Taco Bell, but was apparently lost on Burress who failed to notify team officials that he would miss practice due to an unspecified “family emergency”. As a result, the Giants have suspended their wide receiver without pay for one game. Plax won’t be allowed to practice until after the October 5th game with the Seattle Seahawks and due to the bye week will miss two paychecks totaling $235,294.12.

Burress, who caught the winning TD pass in last year’s Superbowl, was rewarded with a 5 year, $35 million contract extension before the season began. Despite playing on an injured ankle for most of the year, Burress led the team with 70 receptions for 1025 yards and 12 TDs. He continued his solid play during the postseason and was a vital component of the Giants improbable run to the Superbowl and upset of the undefeated Patriots.

Widely reviled “superagent” Drew Rosenhaus represents Burress and has insisted that he’ll appeal the punishment to the NFL Players Association. He was in full spin mode after the suspension was announced. He wouldn’t specify exactly why his client was suspended, only that there was “miscommunication” between Burress and the Giants and that Plax was attending to a nebulous “family emergency” that has miraculously already been resolved. When asked specifically if Burress had “dropped a dime” to explain his absence, Rosenhaus dissembled:

"Again we're acknowledging that there should be some repercussion, but not to the extent where he is denied his right to perform his livelihood to play. We think it is very serious and not very common, but there are things that do take place in the NFL that you could say are worse and have not led to suspension."

As of Thursday afternoon, there had been no formal appeal filed by Rosenhaus and/or Burress.